12 Ways to be a Great Dad

How to be a Great Dad - 12 Awesome Tips zen habits

What does our society need from it's men? How can I be a good Man?
It's not always easy to figure out our society's positive gender roles for men these days, and it's not something that's often discussed.

I have several friends and family members that are "expecting" at the moment. Being a great father is one way that we can have a really positive impact on our world, and perhaps these tips on How to be a Great Dad will help some of these guys to focus on what's important.

Today's Link source: popurls

Why Easter is important for Christians

That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Romans 10: 9

It's that simple. Happy Easter.

What is "GOOD" about Good Friday?

beliefnet: What is Holy Week, What is Good Friday, Maundy Thursday, Passion, Easter, Resurrection, Last Supper, What is Palm Sunday
"Why is it 'Good' Friday?" - Rev. Dr David A. Killian

Good Friday is the Friday before Easter Sunday. It's the day that Christians use to celebrate the day that Jesus Christ was killed on a cross, and it is a statutory holiday in many Western countries.

As Rev. Dr. David A. Killian from Brookline, Massachusetts says:
"What is 'good' about an innocent man being arrested in the middle of the night; betrayed by one of disciples, Judas; denied by another, Peter; accused falsely by the chief priests; mocked and scourged by soldiers; and condemned to death by the Roman Procurator, Pontius Pilate? What is 'good' about crucifixion as a criminal and being scorned and mocked in one's dying hours? What is 'good' about the crown of thorns on his head, the nails in his hands and feet? Yes, this is a good question, Why is Good Friday called Good ?"

There are different views on this, but the linguistic view is that it is the result of the changes to the English language over hundreds of years. One theory says that Good Friday was " Godes Friday", meaning "God's Friday". Another view is that "Good", used to be the same as "Great" or "Holy".
The spiritual view, as Rev. Dr. David A. Killian from Brookline, Massachusetts puts it, is that "Bad Friday" becomes "Good", "because God took the treachery, cruelty, and injustice of the crucifixion [on Good Friday] and transformed it into an expression of love, forgiveness and faithfulness" by bringing Jesus back to life on Easter Sunday.

Today's beliefnet link explains "Good Friday" and many of the Christian terms and ideas that are used to describe the events of Easter week.

Bono on the Difference between Karma and Grace

This is an excerpt from an interview with Bono from U2, that he did for a biography called, "Bono: In Conversation with Michka Assayas"
In the interview with Assayas, Bono talks about the difference between karma and grace. He gives his takes on the Bible and on the Roman Catholic Church. He talks about whether Jesus is a teacher or a prophet (hint: neither). He talks about giving his fly-glasses to Pope John Paul.

Bonus link: Transcript from Bono's Speech to the 2006 National Prayer Breakfast, in front of President Bush, among others. Bono turns out to be a pretty funny and engaging speaker.

Click here to help the oppressed.

DO-GOODER: 10 Online Ways to Save The World - Valleywag


"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what's coming to you in this kingdom. It's been ready for you since the world's foundation. And here's why:
I was hungry and you fed me,
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I was homeless and you gave me a room,
I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
I was sick and you stopped to visit,
I was in prison and you came to me.'
"Then those 'sheep' are going to say, 'Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?' Then the King will say, 'I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.'
Matthew 25: 35-40

It's really wonderful that there are ways to use our internet click-streams and our computers' power into really positive actions that have real-world consequences. In the passage above, Jesus tells us some ways that we can serve Him. While not all of Valleywag's 10 Online Ways to Save The World are opportunities to help the overlooked or ignored, you can indeed use your computer to fight disease, feed the hungry, help the poor work their way out of extreme poverty, or meet up with, or start, a new organization that helps the oppressed.

Jesus' Life and Death from the BBC

BBC - Religion & Ethics - Jesus

The BBC, with their usual intellectual and professional rigour, has pages on each of the 19 major world religions.

Because of the titillating Discovery documentary tonight about the so-called Tomb of Jesus, I thought that it might be a good idea to point out the original story of Jesus' life.

These pages about the life of Jesus and the history of Christianity are well done, and include a bibliography of Jesus and His miracles, information about the history of Christianity and the church, audio documentaries, and a reading list. The articles are written by well-known academic scholars, and represent the views of mainstream theological scholars, and widely-held Christian beliefs about Jesus.

What is Lent?

BBC - Religion and Holidays : Lent

Lent is the 40 days of the Christian calendar that lead up to Easter, and is commonly associated with a period of fasting. It represents the 40 days that Jesus spent alone in the desert before he was killed.

The first day of Lent varies between days in February or March, but it always starts with a Wednesday, called Ash Wednesday. In 2007, Lent begins next Wednesday; February 21.


The day before Ash Wednesday is more famous, Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday). Mardi Gras represents the last chance to splurge and party before the period of Lenten fasting begins.

Answering tough questions about Christianity

Starting Point - Helpful Charts and Articles

When people start learning about Christianity, they inevitably have lots of questions and reservations. Is the Bible accurate? Where did it come from? How is Jesus?

The Linkjockey has been participating in a course at his church called, Starting Point. As the name suggests, it provides a starting point for people who are curious about Christianity or are new believers. Starting Point was created by the North Point Community Church in Georgia, USA and its pastor, Andy Stanley. The course is based on 10 weeks in a conversational small group, with a half-hour talk by Andy and a bit of journaling every week. The course is great!

Today's link is one of the online references for the course, and features some of Andy Stanley's fascinating and humorous talks about God in streaming audio. It also features answers to some of the FAQs that people have about God, Jesus, and the Bible.